Flow switch



Feb. 10, 1953 E. J. DILLMAN 2,628,296

FLOW swrrcu Filed June 20, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 10, 1953 FLOW SWITCH Earnest J. Dillman, Detroit, Michassignor to Detroit Lubricatorflompany, Detroit, Mich a corporation ofMichigan Application June 2%, 1950, Serial No. 169,260

This invention relates to new and useful improvements. in flowresponsive control devices and more particularly to a flow responsiveswitch.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a flow responsivecontrol device of a new and improved construction.

Another object is to provide a flow responsive switch which is actuatedwithout the use of packing or other sealing means.

Another object is to provide afiow responsive switch which is operatedby cooperating magnetic members one of which is movable by a flowresponsive diaphragm;

Another object is to provide a flow responsive switch which may .be.accurately calibrated to determine the flow at which erate. v

Other objects will become apparent from time to time throughout thespecification and claims as hereinafter related.

This invention comprises v:the new and improved construction andcombination of parts which will be described 1 more fully hereinafterand the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctlyclaimed.

In the accompanying drawing to be taken as part of this specificationthere is clearly and fully illustrated one preferred embodiment of thisinvention, in which drawing the figure shown is a longitudinal sectionthrough this how responsive switch.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference there is shown aflow responsive switch structure generally designated as 'land-comprising a fluid flow casing 2 having an inlet -.3 and 2 creams.(c1. soc-fins) the same 7 will opan outlet 4. The casing 2 may be astandard valve casing or could be especially designed for this purposeif desired.

Within the casing 2 there is an'internal wall or partition 5 having athreaded aperture -6 therein. Threadedly ,securedinlthe aperture 6 is aplug member 1 having an orifice 8 of predetermined size therein whichprovides a calibrated retriction for the passageway of'which the-casingforms a part. Within the casing 2 and extending directly beneath theorifice 8 there is a passage 9 which is closed by a threaded plug memberIt. Overlying the orifice 3 the casing 2 has a tubular extension l lproviding an enlargedthreaded aperture l2.

A hollow tubular plug I 3 is threaded within the aperture 12 and has aflange M and anannular rim or sealing surface I5 engaging a sealinggasket I; seated in an annular recess in the end wall of the casingprojection H. A diaphragm the orifice 8 and out of the outlet 4.

ll is positioned across and closes the upper open end of the tubularplug l3 and is held in positicn by a cap member [8 which is threadedlysecured on the upper end of the plug 13 above the flange M. The plugmember l3 has a wall or plate member [9 secured at its lower end and hasan aperture 2a which intercommunicates the in let side of the casing andthe space below the diaphragm ll. Extending through an aperture in theplate or wall member 19 and overlying the orifice 8 is a bolt oradjustment screw 2| for controlling operation of the diaphragm 17. Thereis a nut or other threaded member 22 threadedly carried on the bolt 2|and which has secured to it as by soldering one end of a spring lheother end of the spring 23 is secured to a member 24 which in turn issecured as by a rivet 25 to the diaphragm-l1, the rivet 25 also securingin position a magnetic armature 26 carried by the upper face of thediaphragm IT. From the lower side of the casing 2 and opening from thepassage 9 a conduit 21 or other passageway connects to the spaceenclosed above the diaphragm I! by the cap member l8. The com duit 21'is threadedly secured at its upper end in a passage 28 which opensthrough aperture 29 into the space above the diaphragm IT. A switchcasing 30 is carried by the cap member 58 and has pivotally mountedtherein an operating leverti for operating the switch structuregenerally designated as 32. One end of the lever 3| adjustably carries amagnet 33 which is positioned adjacent a wall portion 34 of reducedthickness in the cap member 18.

Operation This how responsive switch arrangement would have mostfrequent use in arrangements where as a matter of safety a flow of Wateris required before certain appliances are permitted to operate. Oneexample of this is in garbage disposal grinding units which are used inconnection with sinks or plumbing fixtures and wherein it is desirablethat the motor of the disposal unit not be allowed to operate unlesscold water is run- .ning.

v This unit would be installed in series with the cold water valve withthe water flowing through the casing 2 from the inlet 3 through When thevalve with which this flow switch is connected in series is closed thereis no pressure drop through the casing 2 and the pressure on theopposite sides of the diaphragm I! would be equal.

At this point the spring 23 pulls the diaphragm I! and armature 26 awayfrom the wall 34 and magnet 33. When the main line valve is open topermit flow of water there is established a pressure drop through theorifice 8. The pressure on the inlet side of the orifice 8 is the higherpressure and is communicated through the aperture 2010 the space withinthe hollow plug l3 underneath the diaphragm IT. The pressure on theoutlet side of the orifice 8 is communicated through the passage 9,conduit 21 and aperture 29 to the space overlying the diaphragm IT. Thediaphragm I1 is thus subjected to the differential of pressure acrossthe orificefi. The difierential of pressure through the casing 2 oracross the orifice 8 will cause the diaphragm I? to move the armature 26upward toward the thin wall portion 34 of the cap member [8. The capmemher is and wall portion 34 are of anon-magnetic material so as not tointerfere with the magnetic attraction between the magnet 33 andarmature 25.. As the armature 26 moves closer to the wall as the magnet33 is attracted to it 'moving the lever 31 to actuate the switchmechanism 32. across the orifice 8 to operate the diaphragm I1 andactuate the switch mechanism is determined by the force exerted by thespring 23. The tension exerted by the spring 23 is determined by theadjustment bolt 2! and may be varied by adjustment of said bolt. Theslotted head of the adjustment bolt 2!, the orifice 8, the passage 9 andthe end of the passage 9 closed by the plug 50' arearranged in alignmentso that the plug is may be removed and a screwdriver inserted thereinfor adjustment of the bolt 2| to vary the force of the-spring 23. Itshould also be noted that the passage from the outlet side of the casingthrough the conduit 27 might be incor* porated in the casing 2 itselfrather than through a separate conduit.

The form of flow responsive switch herein shown and described has thedistinct advantage of providing a simple magnetically actuated means foroperating the switch 32 in response to fiow of fiuid through the casing2. By this arrangement the flow responsive mechanism does not have tooperate through packing vor other suitable sealing means and thusfrictional losses are avoided which might impair the While there isshown in this application only one form of this invention it will beobvious to those skilled in the art that there are numerous variationswhich might be made without departing from the scope and intent asherein set forth which is intended to be limited only by the appendedclaims.

" Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Pat- 'ent of the United States is:

1. In a flow responsive switch, a fluid flow passageway, an orifice insaid passageway for producing a pressure drop therethrough, a diaphragmpositioned away from said passageway,

second and third passageways leading from op- The pressure difierentialrequired posite sides of said orifice to opposite sides of saiddiaphragm, spring means cooperable with said diaphragm to determine thepressure differential required to move the same, adjusting means forsaid spring means, a nonmagnetic wall, cooperable movable magnet andarmature members positioned on opposite sides of said wall, one of saidmembers being movable by said diaphragm in response to a pressuredifferential thereacross, said diaphragm moving said one member towardand away from said wall to attract or release the other of said membersto control movement thereof, a lever member carrying said other memberand movable thereby, and a switch operated by movement of said levermember. r

2. A flow responsive switch mechanism, comprising a casing having aninlet and an outlet for flow of fluid therethrough, a partition withinsaid casing having a threaded aperture therein, a plug. member having anorifice of predetermined size threaded in said aperture, said casinghaving a passage and aperture below said orifice, a th'readed plugclosing said last-named aperture, said casing having an enlargedthreaded apertu're'toverlying said orifice, a hollow tubularplug-threaded in said last-named aperture, a diaphragm extending acrossthe upper end of said hollow: plug, a cap member threadedly securedto'said hollow plug and securing the p riphery of said diaphragm inposition, a passageway extending from below said orifice through saidcap member into the space overlying said diaphragm-"said hollow plughaving an aperture inter-communicating the space above said orifice andthe under side of said diaphragm, said cap member having a thin wall ofnon-magnetic material, a 'magnet movably carried over said cap memberadjacent said wall, a magnetic armature carriedby-said diaphragm andmovable thereby towardrand away from said wall to attract or releasesaidmagnet, a switch, a lever for operating said switch carrying saidmagnet, a threaded bolt carried within said hollow plug and having a nutadjustably positioned thereon, a spring secured to'said nut at one endand connected to said diaphragm at the other end, said diaphragm beingmovable in response to a difierential of pressure across said orifice tocause said armature and magnet to actuate said switch; and saidsecond-named aperture, said orifice, and said bolt being aligned topermit access to said bolt for adjusting the compression or tension onsaid spring.

' EARNEST J. DILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record file of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS in the 266,831 Italy Aug. is, 1929

